Tuesday, April 29, 1997
Standardized testing begins today in schools
By LESLIE STRADER Staff Writer
Students across the state are hoping they won't be thrown a
curve this week on the academic equivalent of a doubleheader -
the Texas Assessment of Academic Skills.
Today begins for some students four days worth of standardized
testing in math, reading, science and social studies. Third- through
eighth-graders across Texas, including Abilene and Wylie students,
will step up to the plate as they do each spring and try to hit
a home run on the TAAS.
And, thanks to coaching from a few Abilene High School students,
Franklin middle schoolers are already on the ball.
Members of the AHS junior varsity baseball team and playoff
bound softball team popped up at Franklin Monday afternoon to
cheer on the future Eagles.
Groups of four or five team members visited almost every classroom
on campus to encourage students do their best.
"We put everything we know about softball together in
order to win the game and that's what you need to do for TAAS,"
second baseman Caroline Norton told a sixth-grade class.
"Put everything your teachers taught you together and
you'll come out on top."
The high schoolers emphasized the importance of doing well
on the TAAS and how a strong performance can pay off later. Some
of the team members just finished taking the exit-level TAAS as
sophomores. Students must pass thistest in order to graduate.
"When I was in middle school, I didn't think the test
was any big deal," Norton, a junior, said. "By coming
here, we're trying to tell them what you have to do to graduate.
The teachers tried to tell us but I think if someone who actually
had to take it had come and told us how important it is, it would've
helped."
Sophomore shortstop/pitcher and former FMS student Brad Massey
added, "Maybe they look up to us a little and they might
listen to us better than their teachers. Since we've already been
there, we can tell them it's not too bad."
The practice tests given to the sixth-graders were all baseball-related
to tie in with the school's theme, "Hit a Home Run on TAAS."
Friday, the students and their teachers will travel to Arlington
to tour the ballpark and watch the Rangers play the Boston Red
Sox.
"This gets them wanting to do well on TAAS," sixth-grade
teacher Belva Latshaw said. "It gives them the encouragement
they need to want to do better."
Sixth-graders Adrian Hernandez and Milena Osborne said they're
warmed up and ready to bag a victory on the TAAS.
"If you do good on your grades, you can play lots of sports
and do lots of stuff in high school," Hernandez said. "And,
the teachers will have a better impression of you."
Osborne said, "They came here and they passed, so they
should know what they're talking about."
Today, third through eighth grades will take the math portion
of the TAAS test and Wednesday, all grades will take the reading
section. Thursday, eighth grade only will take the social studies
test and Friday, eighth-graders will finish the week with the
TAAS science test.
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Copyright ©1997,
Abilene Reporter-News / Texnews / E.W. Scripps Publications
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